They were forced to re-sign old boy Carlton Cole and Croatian Mladen Petric – released by Fulham last season – on short-term deals.

Allardyce, also keen on Heerenveen’s Alfred Finnbogason and Benfica’s Oscar Cardozo, has admitted only an eye-catching turnaround in form from Cole and Petric will stop him going into the market in January.

He said: “We tried to get three top loan strikers who play in this country but we failed to get all three. They went elsewhere and played for another club and one stayed where he was.

“We will have to try again depending how Carlton and Mladen go before the end of January. If they come good and Andy gets back there will be no need for another striker.”

The toothless Hammers go to Norwich next week with the Canaries – despite Saturday’s mauling at Manchester City – able to leapfrog them if they win.

Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert has similar problems with his side having gone 375 minutes without a Premier League goal.

The difference is with Christian Benteke gradually rediscovering his mojo after injury, that should change soon. The Belgian striker hit the bar in the second half with the move of the match.

The focus should be on the progress that Lambert’s team are making defensively on their travels this season.

So far this season Villa have been beaten only once on the road. No wonder Lambert is pleased.

“We do a lot of work with them,” he said. “They are young lads who are really receptive and you tend to find young lads will put their head in somewhere that other people wouldn’t.”